Becoming the Beast
by Gosu
Summary: Watch how a small interaction changes a young mans outlook on life, and future of a Nation.


Becoming a Beast

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Naruto, if I did... Aizen would have died after the first 64 episodes!

"Uzumaki Naruto" A tired voice pulled the wreck of a boy away from his thoughts, too focused on the 3 lifeless bodies laid beneath his feet. It was then that more words were to come, but they had fallen upon deaf ears. The same repetitive song playing over and over in his head almost as a 3 man choir. He had failed, again. His new friends, his new chance, the new life he planned again squandered before his very eyes. The dejected boy trudged his way out of the room, and blindly began wandering the school. It wasn't until a few minutes later Naruto had found himself clinging to his old, familiar swing watching the other students earn their parents praise.

"_It looks like we're going to have to subject our kids to another year with the demon brat"_

"_Disgusting..."_

"_Shh, you know you arn't suppose to say anything!"_

"_Who is a demon, Kaa-chan?"_

The group seemed to come to an immediate silence as parents starting quietly leading their kids away from the Academy, away from him. Anger was quickly finding its way to the boys surface. Naruto clinched his jaw, biting down with everything he had. Naruto hopped off the swing and landed right next to the tree that had supported him for far to long. His hand tightly wrapped in a fist, as his nails threatening to break skin.

"Why..." He whispered to no one. Naruto fell against the tree, desperately trying to find any sort of support the world could offer. "Why can't I... just do it right?!" He was close to exploding, tears flowing freely down his face. "WHY!?" He screamed, as he threw everything he had upon the tree that had once given him strength. Once his first punch came down upon the unrelenting bark, a flood of emotion had found its way into Naruto's fist. As the flurry of uncoordinated punches continued to pummel the tree, he had failed to notice the red spatter caressing his cheek. His once oceanic eyes had taken on an ominous red. Screams that had once resided in his mind, were not so selfish this night.

–

The sun was just setting for one Maito Gai as he saw himself home tonight. Today had been a long day of youthful training with his 3 beloved genin. Ideas fresh in his mind of his team's growth, training, and waterfalls filling his head. Gai was just crossing through the Academy yard when he couldn't help but notice a ruckus coming from the playground. Inching toward the grounds, he soon spotted an orange clad boy doing some serious damage to the tree, or rather his hands. The grass near by adopting the same red that had littered the boys face.

Gai simply couldn't take it at this point, for minutes he watched the boy work the tree over. Naruto's intensity hadn't yielded a bit, and it seemed as though he was gaining speed. "YOSH! SUCH BEAUTIFUL FLAMES OF YOUTH!" the words boomed as Naruto just as soon found himself perched behind the bastard tree. What he saw next had caused the boy's jaw to drop. A green blur landed directly in front of the tree, and 3 quick punches later the tree had cracked before starting a ever so slow descent to the ground.

The force of the punches had pushed Naruto to the ground. When he looked up his eyes went wide seeing the tree begin to sway in his direction. Naruto reacted in the only way he could, quickly he pulled his knees to his chest and closed his eyes, death was surely coming. Hours seemed to pass as the boy waited, but nothing came. Slowly the whiskered boy opened his eye, to see a hilariously dressed bowl cut of a Man holding a tree to his chest, a huge smile plastered on his face. Gai watched the kid begin to pick himself up and dust his clothes off. The young mans face all the while had begun to burn a light red. '_Yes, now he sees how awesome I am!' _Gai's ego spoke to himself

"You..." The anticipation was killing the beast. "..JERK!" Naruto declared before starting to once again punch the tree as the green man before him stood dumbfounded. "Oi" Gai started, but the boy wasn't hearing him. "Oi, put your body into it!", nothing again. "OI, PAY ATTENTION IM ONLY GOING TO DO THIS ONCE OK!" The boy froze, before nodding dumbly. Gai proceeded to bend down, and push himself off the ground with all of his power throwing the tree 30 feet in the air. "You must turn your shoulder with your body when you punch, and use the weight to project your fist forward. Oi... OI.. OI ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING?!" Gai watched incredulously as Naruto's eyes hadn't left the tree which was 3 feet away from crushing the duo. As soon as the tree was in range, it found itself once again trapped between the two python arms it had grown so fond of.

"Can you do that again... Green man?"

Gai spent the rest of the night swinging away at the tree with his new found friend. He offered what little pointers he could for the boy. Slowly correcting Naruto's stance, all while answering all the juvenile questions the boy asked. It was a story which tied flames, youth, and other things that Naruto couldn't quite understand. Gai was more than delighted to see Naruto naturally taking to the lessons he was being taught. There were a few corrections along the way, but he never repeated the same mistake more than twice. After each clean hit Gai would cheer the boy on, and every so often Gai could almost swear the tree was beginning to be pushed against him. The boy was powered by more than just strength, he was being pushed by an overwhelming sense of purpose. Gai didn't quite understand it, but it wasn't too different than a circle bowl cut kiddie he knew.

Behind his desk Sarutobi's face was buried deep in his palms, as he watched two of his favorite fools destroy his village's property. Once of his prized Jonin was currently teaching a civilian some of Konoha's coveted taijutsu styles, something that was very much unprecedented these days. The Kage took a drag, and funneled the developing headache in front of him out through his lungs. The boy would definitely be asking him questions this week, yes he would.

END OF CHAPTER - 1

I wrote this is about 1 hour, and honestly I didn't really have anyone better than me to edit it or run through it. I hope the idea isn't too corny, but then again I don't really think people will see what I have planned coming.

Thanks again,

Gosu

PS: I was talking about bleach I am sure you know that, but I also must say I don't own that either. Sorry


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